NPR (npr.org) did a five minute interview with Norman Hatch, who filmed the 20 minute short documentary (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124631492) The documentary won an Academy Award for Short Documentary and required approval of FDR for release for public viewing in theaters.

Historically interesting and sobering
I downloaded the MPEG1 file. It didn't look very good.

For its day this was a very revealing movie. Because it was shot "live" it is a must see for all students of WWII history, especially the Pacific theater. However, the movie doesn't begin to capture the true carnage and mayhem experienced during the three day battle on this atoll. Marines were mowed down as they waded the 500 to 800 yards from the reef to the beach in the face of interlocking fields of fire. LVTs that were able to climb over the reef were destroyed by the dozens. Every man who fought in this battle was hero whether they wanted to be one or not. Just the act of being there was heroic.

With the Marines at Tarawa is a film shot by a soldier in the field. It covers the whole campaign. It is amazing to see the whole event as it happened. Many films on the subject come to mind while the narrator is speaking. Including The FIghting Seabees, Halls of Montezuma, Sands of Iwo Jima and many more. THis film should be watched by all to see the horrors of war. It is a great monument to the Marines that lost their life in that campaign. It is worth the 18 minutes of watching time.

This is the first war documentary made to involve the U.S. citizens in the war effort.
Before this the movies were sugar coated to avoid the horrors of war.
Here the dead mutilated bodies of GIs are shown.
It worked very well, war bond sells sky rocketed.